Fidelis
by herunspokenthoughts
Summary: The king slowly turned to Levi, never letting his eyes fall from Mikasa, "Let's just say that I sincerely do hope you are humanity's strongest soldier" he paused and quickly looked at the captain with eager eyes, "for Miss Mikasa's sake." Levi x Mikasa.
1. I

It's been quite awhile since I last wrote a fic. Forgot the e-mail and password to my original account so I had to create a new one… Yes, it's been that long. Nevertheless, enjoy! Rated M for language, theme, and lemon (later on in the chapters).

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><p>The sun gleamed down on the windows of the shops and children were running freely among the streets. Chatter and laughter filled the atmosphere and it was the first time in a long time that humanity was able to celebrate.<p>

_We finally beat the titans.  
><em>

**5 Years Ago**

"Harder! Don't go easy on me!" Her green eyed brother ferociously snapped at her and swung his right arm, hoping to land a punch. The raven haired girl stared blankly and tilted her head back with ease. She grabbed his fist and twisted his arm backwards, causing him to wince. Upon hearing the pain that escaped from his mouth, Mikasa's eyes flickered and quickly let go of him. Eren held his arm and hung his head low. His breaths got heavier and Mikasa mistakenly took it as him being in pain so she naturally took a few steps toward him but soon realized how that wouldn't play in her favor. Unexpectedly, Eren drew back his fist and with full force hit his sister right in the chin. Gasps were heard all over the drill field.

Her body fell backwards and although she tried to catch herself, her foot slipped off of the edge of a rock which caused her to land right on her bottom. She grunted and began to massage her chin.

"That's what you get for holding back on me."

A hand appeared in front of her face and she looked up to find her brother peering down at her with a conceited smirk. She fixed her eyes at him and eventually smiled. She grabbed his hand to support herself up, but as soon as she stood, she wrapped her leg around his and spun him over her back.

_THUD!_

The raven haired beauty looked down at her stubborn brother and returned the smirk as she looked at his wide eyes.

"Well.. I guess I.. Deserved that.." Eren muttered under his breath as he slowly got up.

Mikasa helped him up and brushed the dirt off his shoulder. She thought about all the times she held back from punching him square in the face after the rude remarks he always made so it was a little satisfying to give him a taste of his own medicine. Still, she cared for Eren dearly and couldn't help but to feel bad.

"Sorry, Eren." She quietly spoke to him as the rest of their squad jogged over to the siblings.

"Wow, Eren actually planted a punch on Mikasa's face! There has to be some kind of award for that!" Connie said with a big smile on his face. His onyx eyes were filled with too much joy upon seeing his friend being taken down.

"Are you okay, Eren?" Armin asked with his bright blue eyes, a shade darker than usual, showing signs of concern.

"I'm fine guys! Back off! You guys act like I'm going to die from one lousy fall. How do you expect to kill any titans with that kind of sensitivity!?" He shouted and gritted his teeth. Shoving off Mikasa's hold on his shoulder, he walked away briskly.

Before Mikasa could call after him, their squad leader was seen entering the main entrance of their headquarters.

And the Eren who was furious just a few moment ago, quickly turned around to hear the hooves of the horses. "CAPTAIN LEVI IS HERE! Let's go!" Eren shouted with excitement and jumped up.

Everyone sprinted across the field, anticipating their captain's arrival. Mikasa turned her head to the direction where everyone was headed to and looked blankly at the small figure that was leading the group of soldiers on horses. She could never understand to the full extent of why Eren praised this man. Not to easily dismiss the fact that he is an excellent soldier, but she didn't see why her brother's eyes would light up when the captain would simply acknowledged his fighting improvement. In all her years of knowing Eren, she had never seen him get so anxious and nervous around anyone. So when she looks at the captain, she tries to see what Eren sees in him but ultimately finds nothing special. Well except for the fact that he is the only one who can make her blood boil instantly.

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><p>The dining hall was filled with a delicious aroma. Mikasa could feel her stomach rumble but the noise was blocked from the loud chatter. Each squad was talking amongst themselves at their respective tables. The long wooden tables were accompanied with heaps of food. Mikasa brought her hand to her stomach and gave it a tight squeeze. She needed to eat now. She scanned the area and spotted the black undercut hairstyle that belonged to her captain. She walked over to her table after grabbing her plate of food. The only spot available was at the edge where Levi was sitting. She sighed and took her seat next to the captain.<p>

"… So it's been about four years since we took down Annie's titan and as you all know, the titan's activity has significantly decreased. Erwin advises us to continue training at the end of every week, obviously, but you all may return back home after a month. If your-"

"Return back home?" a taught question came from Mikasa. She let out a sarcastic chuckle.

"Mikasa!" Armin shot a stern look over at her and shook his head.

"Armin, we have no home. Our home was completely destroyed. So for him to say that so matter-of-factly is ignorant!" She turned to glare at the man who was sitting right next to her.

Without even looking over at her, the captain continued. "Like I was saying, if your home was lost then accommodations will be made for your stay inside the village."

The sound of relief was let out by everyone at the table. There wasn't a single person on their squad that had a home to return to. The titans had demolished everything and everyone they loved. Knowing this, Levi confronted the king and explained to him how imperative it was that all the soldiers who no longer had a home, were guaranteed a place to stay in the village. If it weren't for Erwin's well manners, the king would have most likely denied his request.

Levi looked at the faces of his squad members: Eren Jaegar, Armin Arlert, Sasha Braus, Connie Springer, Jean Kirstein, Krista Lenz, and Mikasa Ackerman. All of them had mixed emotions planted on their faces. Feelings of pain, anger, and relief. _The world is indeed a cruel place._ He thought to himself. He breathed out deeply and glanced over at the body next to him. Her hair fell over her face so he could not see her expression but he was well aware that she was reflecting back on those tragic memories. Her knuckles turned white from gripping her fork so tightly. _What exactly are you thinking, Ackerman?_ When reading the reports of all his selected squad members, Ackerman's struck him the most. Her parents were brutally murdered right before her eyes as a young child. And she was kidnapped by the men in hopes of trafficking her within the underground district. _My home_. Before Levi could think back on his past, he shook those thoughts away and abruptly got up.

"Captain Levi! You barely touched your food! Please finish your meal and share more details of what is going on with the titan situation!" Eren pleaded with a hint of nervousness.

Levi turned his head and spoke with annoyance, "Do not tell me what to do, brat. There are no details to go over, if there is something that you all need to be aware of, then I will bring it to your attention."

"Ah.. Yes.. Yes sir!" A look of disappointment casted on Eren's face as he looked down at his plate of food from embarrassment.

Jean smirked and nudged his elbow to his comrade. "Sometimes I wonder if you see him as our captain or your boyfriend." He said it ever so quietly so that the captain couldn't hear.

Connie, Sasha, and Krista covered their mouths as they laughed under their breaths. Levi shot a glare at Jean which caused the blonde soldier to gasp and nervously look down at his food.

"Mikasa, when you finish your meal come to my office immediately." He spoke harshly as he walked past her.

She looked up to ask her captain why, but he had already left the dining hall. She exhaled sharply and muttered. "Damnit, I'm probably going to have to do laps all night." Already exhausted from her intensive workout in the morning she groaned. Mikasa always started off her day with morning training. She would run 5 miles, stretch, lift weights, stretch, and finish off with another 5 miles. But today she skipped out on breakfast and lunch which brought her body to the brink of collapsing. The thought of running for hours made her shutter. She had to learn to bite her tongue when around Levi.

"Don't eat too much, Mikasa, you're probably going to throw it all up…" Jean advised but Mikasa just shrugged it off and continued to eat her dinner in silence. He pouted as he looked at the beautiful girl who showed absolute no interest to him.

Eren laughed and reached across the table to ruffle the top of Mikasa's head. "That's what you get for talking to humanity's strongest soldier like that!" Mikasa looked up and saw the goofy smiled plastered on his face. She shook her head and ran her fingers through her now long and tangled hair.

"I honestly do not know why you are so obsessed with him, Eren. Sure, he is a strong soldier and he is our captain, but other than that, what else is he?" She lifted her hands and let her face lean on them. "You could be just as good as him in a few years so don't put him on such a high pedestal." Mikasa pursed her lips and smirked as her brother looked at her with disbelief. It was as if she had crushed his heart.

"Mikasa… How dare you speak about our captain like that! Captain Levi is the most admirable, loyal-" Jean stuffed a loaf of bread into Eren's mouth, muffling out his voice. And for the first time, Mikasa looked in his direction and smiled.

"Ah, shut up already! We get it, we get it! You love him! You want to be his right hand man and suck his dick!" His archenemy laughed and broke off the other end of the bread from Eren's mouth to eat. The table burst into laughter as the two began to quarrel.

"I totally wouldn't mind being at his right hand!" Sasha, the pretty yet quirky brunette, blurted out. She had always found Levi to be a hunk even though she completely towered over him. Whenever she had a chance to get personal training with him, she tried to get as close as possible to him and 'accidentally' touch him in certain places to try and get him aroused. But all of her attempts failed as the captain would blankly stare at her and correct her posture.

"… And to suck his dick" Connie added, rolling his eyes and waving his bread in a circular motion. "Every time he passes by you, I see you accidentally dropping something to bend over. I want you to know that while he takes absolutely no interest in you, I do! I ALWAYS NOTICE!" The onyx eyed boy grinned from ear to ear and winked, feeling proud of stating this.

"I DO NOT! CONNIE SPRINGER, HOW DARE YOU MAKE SUCH ACCUSATIONS!" Sasha's face was turning red by the second. "I just become clumsy whenever he's in my vicinity so I drop my belongings! That doesn't mean—"

Jean and Eren's howling laughter cut her off. "It's the best when she turns around to see if he's still in the area and if she is, she STAYS bent over." Jean smacked the table with his hands as he was clutching his stomach from laughing so hard.

"That's enough, boys! These are not kind things to say! Maybe this is why all of you are still single!" The boys immediately stopped laughing and dropped their jaw. This was the first time that Krista had ever spoken such harsh words to them—to anyone. Immediately, Krista's cheeks were stained from blushing, she looked down and started to twiddle her fingers. "I.. I'm just saying… We shouldn't make such rude remarks…" Her voice suddenly became as soft as a whisper.

Sasha squeezed her gorgeous and timid friend that was right next to her. "Aw, Krista! Thank you for defending me!" she turned her head to glare at the boys who were now mournfully sulking after realizing that this may be the reason why they were still single. After a brief silence, Sasha started to laugh and scratched the back of her head. "Damn, do you think he knows that I'm hitting on him? How can I make it not as obvious?" The friends through their hands in the air and let out an exasperated sigh at the brunette's sincere question.

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><p>Mikasa wandered down the dark halls trying to figure out where exactly her captain's office was. She never had to pay him a visit so entering this side of the castle was new to her. She tried to remember the directions that Krista gave to her.<p>

_This must be it_. She thought as she came to a dead end with a door to the left. She knocked twice.

"Come in."

She opened the door and closed it behind her. She was taken aback by how empty the room was. There was a bed to the far right corner, a night stand right by it with a lamp, and then the captain's desk that had a sheet of paper on it. _So damn clean._

"Ackerman." His deep voice interrupted her inspection of his room. He stepped away from his window and leaned against his desk, facing her.

"Yes, Captain?" Mikasa did her best to sound polite because she really was not trying to run in the humid night.

"Do you know why I have called you?"

_Because I made a small remark and it hurt your little feelings._ "Was it because of my comment earlier, sir?"

Levi stared at her and pushed off from his desk. He walked closely to her until they were but a few inches away. She could feel his warm breath tickling her cheek. It made her uncomfortable being this close to him but she wouldn't budge. She clenched her fists and stared right back at his deep charcoal eyes, refusing to back down.

He took note of her fists, and smirked. "I could care less about how you feel towards me. And although I would love to see you run around the field for hours, I have a more pressing matter." He turned around and walked around his desk. He stopped briefly to look back at her. She continued to pierce him with her eyes. "I have been given orders from the king to bring you with me to our next meeting which is tomorrow. The scumbags over at the military police will be joining us as well. We leave in the noon."

_The king? What does he want with me? Why is the military police involved? Are they going to have me switch over to that region? What about Eren? I can't be away from him._ Mikasa's thoughts ran through her head as she was trying to figure things out. She looked at Levi and tried to cover the worry in her voice. "What is this all about?"

Levi studied her face and saw the flash of concern surface over her. "I don't know the details. I just know that I'm supposed to bring you along. You don't need to worry about leaving your beloved boyfriend behind. We'll be back the same night."

Relieved, Mikasa ignored the Eren reference and furrowed her eyebrows. "It just makes no sense as to why the king wants to see me…" she briefly stopped to see if she could get anymore answers from Levi, but he continued to look at her with a blank stare. "But, alright, I'll meet you outside tomorrow." She turned around and closed the door before her captain could say anything.

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><p>The trip to the king's castle was dreadful. She was in the carriage for roughly two hours with Levi who was too preoccupied with looking over a stack of papers. Not that she desired to have a conversation with him anyway. When they finally arrived, Mikasa stepped out and stretched her arms, hearing a few back muscles crack. She looked up at the clear blue sky and smiled inwardly as she saw the big, white clouds passing by. The cool light breeze that passed through her hair caused a tingling sensation to her skin, and a small smile spread across her face. Days like this brought back childhood memories of her playing in the yard while her mother hung up the clothes to dry.<p>

Levi looked over his shoulder to see what was taking his squad member so long, and was surprised to see her.. Smiling. The only times he had ever seen her smile was when she was around Eren and even that was rare. Her eyes were closed and looked as if she were having a sweet dream. The breeze that swept back her hair allowed him to see more of her face.

"She is beautiful, indeed!" The high-pitch voice interrupted both of the scouts and Levi quickly turned away to make sure she had not seen him staring… He didn't even know he was staring. He looked up to see who had spoken and came face to face with a stout man with gold-rimmed glasses and long brown hair. "Hello, sir Levi. It is good to see you again. I will be taking care of you and Miss Ackerman. Please do follow me as we have a lot to do!"

Levi raised an eyebrow and looked at the man with slight confusion. "Maxwell, The king is expecting us right now." He said shortly.

Mikasa walked up the few steps and stood near her captain. Unsure of what was going on.

"Ah, yes. He knows you have arrived, but we must first make the both of you presentable before joining him and his royal company for dinner!"

Before either of them could protest, Maxwell ushered out a few house servants to bring the new guest inside.

"How annoying… The king did not mention anything about any certain dress attire. He is well aware that I am a busy man who spends his day training his squad members." Levi grunted and folded his arms as he stared at the back of Maxwell's head who was too busy picking different shades of blue for whatever.

Maxwell turned around and looked at Levi and Mikasa up and down. "Okay, Miriam! You take this young lady and show—"

Levi grabbed Mikasa's arm and pulled her closer to him. "I did not come all the way here to spend my day playing dress up. If you do not show me to the king this instant then I will leave right away." He glared at the man in front of him.

Mikasa tried to pull away from his grasp, but the more she moved, the harder he held.

"Sir Levi, the king strictly asked that we make sure you and Miss Ackerman were dressed properly. It is not my intention to further delay your meeting with the king, but these are his requests and you will have to oblige if you want to see the king." Maxwell stated with a smile, but it was obvious how impatient he was becoming with the two outsiders.

"Let's just do what they want us to do and get this over with. I don't want to miss out on any more training." Mikasa hissed as she jerked her arm away, being free of his grasp.

"You're going to regret this." He shot her a glare and then faced Maxwell. He rolled his eyes and ordered Maxwell to come by waving his hand back and forth. "Let's go, Maxwell." Levi turned around and began to walk down a hallway with the man putting the different shades of blue next to the captain's face.

"Miss! Oh! How beautiful, you are! The rumors are true! You really do look like a porcelain doll!" Mikasa's eyes widened as she was practically dragged to the other end of the hallway. Two women, one was tall with blonde locks falling past her shoulders, and the other was shorter and had her orange hair in a bun. The taller woman was squealing with joy as she pinched Mikasa's cheeks. "Aren't you just lovely and cute as a button!"

Quickly, she slapped the woman's hand away and let out a growl. "Don't touch me. Where are you two taking me? And get off!" she threw her arms off the two women who had wrapped theirs around hers.

"Oh my! She does have a temper! No, no, this won't do! Young lady, you will not speak to anyone like that, especially to the king!" The younger woman with the bun sternly exclaimed while shaking her finger at Mikasa. "Now.. Wipe that scowl off your face and come along! We have a lot of work to do and lunch is only three hours away!"

And before Mikasa could protest she was forced into one of the rooms. Her jaw dropped as she stepped into a brightly lit room. The walls were ivory colored with specks of gold and pillars that reached the top of the ceiling. Mikasa looked up and saw how this room was so bright. The ceiling was made out of glass and the sun was pouring down into this vast room. Not a single corner was dark. There were vanities spread out against the walls that were filled with jewelry, make-up, and variety of dresses. Women were wearing elegant gowns and sipping on their teas as they were getting their hair done, but when they saw the girl with dirt stains and buckled straps all over her body come in, they gasped in horror. There really was no point in them trying to be discrete and whispering into each other's ears as they made nasty remarks on Mikasa's attire.

"I heard she is the last of her clan.."

"Oriental, was it?"

"Who cares, nothing special about her."

She lowered her eyes and continued to walk further into the room. Some of the women, who were sitting on the couches in the middle, got up immediately, snorted, and walked over to the other side of the room with their noses in the air. Mikasa plopped right down onto the olive green couch and crossed her arms along with her legs.

"If you plan on trying to turn me into some princess, you can forget all about that. This isn't some fairytale." She looked over to her right as she stared at the two women who had escorted her into the room but they were nowhere to be found. She frowned and turned her head some more to find them, and found the taller one carrying a cream colored dress. "Hell. No."

"Now, now dear. Why don't we try it on first before we—"

"I said no. I am going to a damn dinner, not getting married." Mikasa retorted as she snapped her head back.

"Miss Ackerman," the younger woman who had escorted her walked over to the couch she was sitting on. "I understand that you are not quite familiar with our ways, but this is not just some ordinary lunch. As you can see" the woman led Mikasa's eyes to scan the room by extending her arms to the rest of the women in the room, "this dinner is a very important one with highly respected guests. It would be a great sign of disrespect if you showed up in the clothes you are currently wearing." Her brown eyes looked intently into Mikasa's. "Please show some manners and try on these dresses. We do not have enough time."

Mikasa looked at the women across from her. They did look beautiful as they were clothed with garments of fine silk and jewelry. Mikasa bit the bottom of her lip. She had never pampered herself and had no idea how to walk in heels. This was something she couldn't do. Her mother never had the chance to teach her.. She closed her eyes and exhaled deeply as the thought of her mother brought a sense of pain and ironically, calmness to her. "At least let me choose the dress."

A sigh of relief came from the maid. "Of course, please follow me. The gowns are all displayed right behind you. We can see which one would compliment you the best." A hand lightly squeezed Mikasa's arm. She looked up and saw the woman trying to reassure her. _You were right Levi, I am going to regret this._ She thought to herself, and let out another sigh before she got off the couch.

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><p>Mikasa stared at the floor and clenched her teeth. Her hands held onto the side of her dress, squeezing her thighs. "Miss Ackerman, please do take a look… You look…" Mikasa could feel the dry lump in her throat. She lifted her head slowly and looked at the full mirror before her. Her hand quickly covered her mouth as she let out a small gasp. The dress she had chosen to go with was ruby red as it reminded her of the scarf that she had to take off earlier. In replace of it, she wore three crystals that hung from her neck. The dress was strapless with a slit on the side that stopped at her mid-thigh. The material tugged closely to her skin and her curves were accentuated. Mikasa stared at the unfamiliar woman before her. The ends of her hair were loosely curled giving it a wavy effect and her bangs were swept back. She couldn't stop her lips from curling. <em>Mother, how I wish you could see me right now. I look like you when you were younger.<em> Mikasa looked back at the two women and nodded her head to thank them.

_Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip. –Gasp–_

Mikasa quickly grabbed the closest thing to her so that she could regain her balance. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking as she tried to walk in her heels. The maids gave her the smallest pair possible per her request which concluded to her wearing silver ones that three inches. They ensured her that it would be a breeze to walk in, but her feet were already aching.

_Deep breaths, Mikasa. You can do this. Let's just get down these stairs and—_

She felt her body go cold as she turned the corner to walk down the stairs. To her dismay, the entire party was held at the bottom of the stairs which led to a vast ballroom. Nobody had noticed her yet, and she wanted it to stay that way. She had always been eyed whenever walking around in public, especially after joining the Survey Corps. She learned to ignore the stares, but tonight was difficult. She was unfamiliar with how she looked and these heels didn't help her esteem either. She felt her throat drying up and the nerves working up in her legs again as she took her first step down. She clung onto the rail as if her life depended on it.

"Oh, Captain, you look absolutely charming. I haven't seen you—" the gorgeous blonde's voice trailed off as she looked behind the man she was speaking to. Levi raised his eyebrow and turned his head to see what caught the woman's attention. He had to take a double take as he realized he knew who the woman was that was descending from the stairs.

_What.. In the world.._

Levi's eyes grew wider as he took in what—no, who was before him. _Ackerman…_ He could see her trembling as her eyes were glued to her feet. Her dress hugged her body so tightly that it was impossible to steer his eyes away from her full breast. He had never seen her reveal so much skin. _Holy shit, I haven't even seen her bare neck before because of that damn scarf. _His eyes, disobeying his mind, followed downward and his jaw slightly dropped as he saw her legs and thighs appearing every time she took a step. _No, stop. Stop staring. Focus Levi. Turn around now._ But his eyes refused to look away from the pleasure that it was receiving.

"Captain Levi?" Levi almost flinched from the sudden voice that came from behind him. He turned to see an overweight man offering him a glass of wine. _Great, the man of the hour._

Levi took the drink and bowed to the king, but turned his head slightly to see if Ackerman was still behind him. _She's gone_. Before he could make a full turn to search for her, the king's powerful laugh boomed and had Levi to refocus. "Your majesty, it is good to see you are in good health." Levi spoke reverently as he was reminded of Erwin's strict orders to be respectful to the powerful man before him. His eyes flickered while he drew the rim of his glass to his lips and took another sip.

The king roared with laughter and patted Levi's shoulder causing the shorter man to hold onto his glass a little tighter. _Get your fucking hands off of me, you fat piece of shit._ "I know you do not mean that, captain." replied the king with a flash of fury showing in his eyes.

A devilish grin appeared on Levi's face. "Of course, I do your majesty." He raised his glass to the king before downing the rest of his drink.

"Now, where exactly is Miss Ackerman?"

It infuriated Levi when this man mentioned his squad member's name. The king looked over the shorter man and roamed his eyes across the room until his eyes flashed and a wolfish smile crept in. Clenching his fists, Levi turned around to the direction of where the king's preying eyes were and surely enough there she was, standing absolutely breathtaking.

Mikasa continued to chew the bottom of her lip, and couldn't stop rubbing her elbow with her hand. She had never felt this small. Her pulse began to race as she couldn't find her captain anywhere. Her eyes darted back and forth until she saw a flash of onyx eyes staring her down. She immediately focused her eyes back to that direction and blinked twice as she registered the man that was standing a few feet away from her.

_Is that?… It is him.._

His hair was combed over and he was wearing a black tuxedo with a white undershirt. A quiet giggle escaped from her mouth as she noticed his bow-tie. _Captain Levi wearing a bow-tie… I can't believe it.. Hm.. I guess he does look.. Handsome._ Handsome didn't come close to how the man actually looked. Mikasa studied his chiseled jaw and her eyes dreamily looked at his slightly open lips. She bit her lip once more but shortly regretted it after because of the smirk that appeared on his lips. _Fuck._ She mentally kicked herself and fumed inside. Disdainfully she met her captain's gaze. _Damnit, why did I do that? Mikasa, focus! Stop acting like a child. Get your shit together. _Growling under her breath, she walked over to her captain.

"What the fu—" Levi shot her a scornful look and rolled his eyes to the side. Mikasa looked at the man that was behind Levi. _This must be the king._

"Miss Ackerman, I see that that the rumors are not exaggerated, you truly are beautiful." The heavy-set man took her hand and bowed to kiss it. Mikasa was about to draw her hand back but once again her captain shot her a look of disapproval. She glared at him and watched in disgust as the man's lips touched her knuckles. He slowly raised his head and let his eyes obviously stay at her breast for a few seconds too long. His eyes were filled with lust and Mikasa was one second away from kicking the man right in the face.

Levi interceded by stepping in between the two and reaching for another glass of wine as a server walked by. But before he got out of the way he squeezed Mikasa's arm, ordering her to sustain her calm façade. He grinned as he heard the faint growl that escaped from her lips. "Your majesty, now that Miss Mikasa and I are here, would you mind telling us what we can do for you?" Levi asked but instead of returning to his previous place, he stood by her side.

The king looked over at Levi and then returned his gaze to the woman in front of him. The malicious smile returning, "I cannot discuss that matter in such an open area. We are at a party! Let us enjoy this small time of peace before things may become loathsome." He slowly turned to Levi, never letting his eyes fall from Mikasa, "Let's just say that I sincerely do hope you are humanity's strongest soldier" he paused and quickly looked at the captain with eager eyes, "for Miss Mikasa's sake."

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><p>AN: Yikes… I wonder what the king meant… Haha, anyway I plan on making this fic a developing story. So the characters will gradually change as the story continues. I hope you all enjoyed. Please leave reviews! Advice is strongly encouraged and welcomed! Thank you!

Xoxo,

Herunspokenthoughts


	2. II

Chapter 2 is out! I'm happy people are enjoying this so far :') Sorry for those who had to wait awhile! I have been working so much lately and barely have time, but I promise I will update in a timely manner! Let me know what you think about this chapter. Enjoy!

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><p>Mikasa gripped the king's hand right before he could let go of hers. He flinched in pain and deathly glared at the woman.<p>

With a smirk, Mikasa huskily said, "I won't need any saving from anyone. I can take care of myself just fine," she paused and leaned in close so that she could whisper into the man's ear, "so if a loathsome event were to occur… I hope that it is you, my king, who will be guarded well."

She released her grip on the man and gave a slight bow before walking away.

"Is that a threat Miss Mikasa?" the king retorted.

Mikasa looked over her shoulder with the smirk still on her face, "If anything, it is just a friendly reminder of who you're speaking to."

The king snorted and watched the mysterious woman slip through the crowd. He faced Levi and harshly whispered into the man's ear, "Tame her."

The captain chuckled as the man briskly walked away. _I can hardly get her to follow my lead though._ Levi walked over to his squad member who was now on her third glass of wine.

"I suppose that went well."

"He's a pig. And I'll kill him if he ever touches me again." Mikasa said coldly as she traded her empty glass with a full one to a server that walked by.

Levi eyed her cautiously as she began to take big gulps. "That's your last glass. I don't need you to make me look anymore worse than you already have. Also, that will be your last time talking to him in that manner. I don't care what your thoughts are towards him, but you will bite your tongue the next time you think about saying something repugnant again." He waited for her reply, but the raven haired girl continued to burn her eyes onto the king's back, who was now laughing and having a toast with his guests.

"Ackerman." Levi's patience was running thin.

"Understood." She said shortly and finished the last amount in her glass.

Now that they were somewhat alone and closer to each other, Levi was able to take in even more of how astonishing she looked. Her cheeks were stained with a hint of pink. _I guess the alcohol is affecting her now._ His eyes trailed down to her soft pink lips that were shut tight as always. He could feel his body being compelled to touch her, wanting to know what she tasted like and how she looked underneath the garment, but he held his place and continued to ravish her with just his eyes.

Mikasa could feel the intense stare coming from her captain. She cleared her throat but his eyes didn't jerk away. She could feel her cheeks turning hot. _Why is he staring at me like this?_ Mikasa shifted her body a little and cleared her throat again, louder this time.

"I'm going to get some fresh air. I'll be out on the balcony so if the pig calls us in for the meeting, you'll know where to find me." She quickly walked away because being watched by him like that made her feel even smaller for some reason.

* * *

><p>The night was cool and the subtle breeze gently weaved through her long black hair. Mikasa breathed in the fresh air and exhaled slowly. <em>Once we beat the Titans, I'll finally be able to live my life at peace.<em> The thought of the outside world filled her with anticipation and excitement. Since they were children, Eren and Armin, would always dream about what the world was like beyond the walls. She tried her best to not show any interest, thinking that it was a farfetched dream, but now that they were finally able to make progress in defeating the titans, that dream didn't seem too impossible to reach.

"I always thought that the air would smell better up here." The low voice startled Mikasa, but then shortly after, brought some sense of security and calmness to her.

"What do you mean up here?" She turned to look at her captain quizzically.

Levi slowly let go of his gaze above and looked at her with those deep onyx eyes that seemed as if they were reaching into her soul. She could feel the muscles in her body tighten and looked away to avoid eye contact. _Those eyes… The way he looks at me… Why do I feel this way.. Such childish behavior, Mikasa._

"Do I make you nervous, Ackerman?" she gasped as his lips ever so slightly brushed her ear.

Her heart began to beat so fast that she was sure even he could hear the thudding. She was too deep in her thoughts to have heard him walk over to her. She felt the lump forming in her throat again and began to chew the bottom of her lip as she felt cold chills rush through her body.

Levi let out a small chuckle and lifted Mikasa's chin with his index finger and thumb. His fingers slowly traced her jaw line and he could feel her body tense up from his touch. His eyes shined with triumph, enjoying the fact that he had this effect on his fierce and prideful comrade. Letting his arm wrap around her waist, he pulled her in closer until their lips were but a few inches away.

Mikasa gasped and swallowed hard. She could feel the magnetic force pulling her into his lips. Her legs became weak and she held onto the balcony rail, praying that she wouldn't fall to her knees. Her mind was shouting and ordering her to move, but there was a deep curiosity within her. She eyed Levi warily, anticipating his next move. A few moments of silence passed and without thinking, Mikasa tilted her head slightly and leaned in. Their lips met and she could feel the jolt of energy that ran up and down her spine. She opened her mouth allowing his tongue to play with hers. Gently, she sucked his tongue and pulled away to nibble on the bottom of his lip. Her breathing was heavy, but she continued to listen to her body's yearning. Planting kisses on the corner of his lips, to his cheek, until they reached his ear, her tongue playfully licked his ear lobe before she whispered into his ears.

"Do I excite you, Captain?" her hands found their way to his throbbing member and she rubbed it gently.

Before she could move them away, Levi quickly grabbed her wrists and smirked. Mikasa tried to free herself but the resistance only made his hold on her stronger. He jerked her closer to him and whispered huskily, "Don't try to play hard to get with me, Ackerman." Frustrated, she slowly stopped squirming her body and Levi pulled away to look at her. Their eyes met and he could see the unquestionable desire in her eyes. Levi chuckled to himself taking that as an invitation from her. He let go of her waist and let his hands slowly trace up her body. He cupped her full breast and gave it a tight squeeze. Letting out a soft moan, Mikasa arched her back. Levi quickly freed his grasp on her wrists, knowing that she wouldn't budge, and found his way to the back of her dress. But before he could pull down the zipper, a forced cough came from behind them.

Mikasa's eyes shot open and she gasped as she met Maxwell's eyes fixated on the both of them. She quickly pushed off Levi and heard him growl in frustration. Trembling, she smoothed her dress with her numb fingers and cleared her throat before looking back up. She opened her mouth to justify herself, but no words would come out. Thankfully, Levi spoke up.

"I'm assuming the king is holding the meeting now?" he asked with annoyance.

Maxwell raised one of his eyebrows and nodded his head. "Come along, please," but before he made a full turn, he glanced over at Mikasa, "Miss Mikasa, you might want to fix your hair before you join us." and then turned away to walk back into the castle.

Beat red from embarrasment, Mikasa nervously ran her fingers through her tangled hair, refusing to meet eyes with her captain. But his warm hands covered hers and he raised her chin so that their eyes would meet. Mikasa blinked as her heart fluttered.

"Calm down, Ackerman. It was just a kiss." He said gently. He looked at her with calm eyes and gave her a small smile. "Let's go. I want to figure out what the pig wants."

Mikasa managed to bring herself to nod and returned to her calm façade. _It was just a kiss._ She gulped down the small disappointment.

* * *

><p>"Good evening to you all. I am sure most of you are wondering why I have gathered you all here today," the bowl cut man spoke sternly. His face was long and he had dull black eyes that constantly looked around the room, "so I will get straight to the point. For those of you who may not know me, my name is Marlowe Freudenberg, the newly appointed chief of the military police brigade."<p>

Whispers were spread throughout the dim lit room. There were about fifteen people present. The king, five men in MP uniforms, three men in tuxedos, Levi, and Mikasa were seated at the rectangular table. The rest were military police members who were standing against the walls of the room with their weapons secured in their arms. _Why are they carrying around weapons at a party? _Mikasa eyed down the king who was seated at the end of the table. His facial expression was completely different from earlier in the evening. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the chief questionably as the man proceeded to explain the meaning behind the meeting.

_I guess even he isn't fully aware of what is going on either_… Mikasa thought to herself as she studied the obese man at the end.

"Ever since the activities with the titans have lessened, other areas of concern have spiked up significantly but this time they are within the walls," Marlowe paused and looked down at the papers in his hand. The sheets of paper began to wrinkle as his fists clenched them firmly. His chest rose up and down and it was evident that this man had troubling thoughts on whatever was on the paper. "There have been well over hundreds of cases filed in regards to missing people these past three months. Specifically women and children."

Mikasa scoffed and folded her arms. _Missing people is nothing new._ Flashbacks of her fallen comrades rushed through her mind like a scene from a movie.

Marlowe noticed the apathetic look that spread across the woman's face that was across from him. _Mikasa Ackerman…_ He looked at her sternly and continued, "In each household of the missing people, the husband/father is always murdered." Suddenly her facial expression changed. _Yes, you know exactly what I am talking about don't you, Mikasa Ackerman_. "It is very clear of what is going on and who is in charge of this."

She could feel the sudden change in the atmosphere. The walls seemed to be coming in closer and it felt as if there wasn't enough oxygen left. People murmured under their breaths, some shifted in their chairs, and even the king furrowed his eyebrows and clenched his fists. Sweat began to form on her forehead as Mikasa continued listening to the reports of these women and children being taken from their homes.

"We believe that these victims are being taken from men who live within the walls," Marlowe lowered his eyebrows causing wrinkles to form on his forehead. He tossed the papers in his hand onto the table, causing them to scatter for all to see. Images of children as young as five years old were so brutally beaten that their faces were disfigured. Both women and children both had their hands and feet in shackles with a rag stuffed in their mouths that was tied behind their head. "These women and children were found in the dumpster in one of the alleys within wall Sina. After a thorough investigation we have found that the victims are being trafficked in the underground district."

Sharp gasps spread like wildfire throughout the room. A man near Mikasa pounded on the table with his fist and demanded to find the people in charge. The three men in tuxes began to raise their voices asking why nothing had been done so far. Soon the dim lit room was shaken up with rage and shouting.

Mikasa's eyes widened in horror because of the grotesque photograph that slid right in front of her. It was a little girl whose hair was drenched with blood. Her face was so marred that there was no way of being able to identify her. Her right ankle was snapped into the opposite direction and her wrists were so deeply cut that you could see the white bones coming out of the skin. Mikasa could feel the insides of her stomach moving. She clenched her fists causing her knuckles to turn white. But she couldn't hide the panic that was stirring within. Her hands started to tremble and all the blood was drained from her face.

And then his warm but calloused hands found hers. His thumb gently rubbed her hands allowing her to loosen her grip. Slowly the blood began to circulate in her hands again. She heaved deeply and slid her hands under the table, but he didn't let go. Mikasa slightly turned her head to look at him, but Levi's eyes were focused on the photographs spread out on the table. His face was expressionless.

_What are you thinking right now, Levi?_

Mikasa opened her hands and lightly squeezed his hands. His eyes flickered and he looked up but didn't face her. To her dismay, Levi let go and abruptly stood up.

"Everyone shut the fuck up and let the Chief speak."

The men that were once standing and throwing their hands in the air slowly began to take their seats. The King massaged his forehead and heavily sighed. He waved his hand ordering the Chief to go on. Marlowe stared at the infamous captain of the Survey Corps. He nodded in agreement to Levi and cleared his throat.

"The reason why I have asked you all to come is because I cannot save these victims alone. If you take a look at the people sitting next to you and across from you, you will see that there are some who may seem out of place being here. But I have specifically handpicked each and every one of you." Marlowe looked to his right and nodded his head once. Five men who were seated across from Mikasa stood up and bowed. "These are the top five men from my brigade who have been working on this case with me. Starting from the end is Jackson Lerg, Kaito Han, Jon Feucht, Takumi Hyuta, and Mitchell Kaplan. I strongly believe that these men will be of great aid to bring down the organization that is behind this." The Chief turned to face Mikasa and her captain, who was sitting beside her.

"Captain Levi and Mikasa Ackerman, I have chosen you both for two different reasons. I understand that you, Captain Levi, are originally from the underground district. Your experience and knowledge of the area is imperative to this investigation." He briefly paused to see some sort of acknowledgement from Levi but the captain stared at the man with no expression. Marlowe's jaw tightened and looked at the woman beside him. "Mikasa Ackerman, you have been called to join this investigation not only because of your outstanding battle skills, but more importantly because…" His voice trailed off and there was a downcast in his eyes, "Capturing you is their number one priority."

* * *

><p>"Wait Levi, stop! Let go of me!" Mikasa tried to pull his grip off her wrist. He held tighter and continued to drag her out of castle. He was beyond outraged with what that scum had just asked of them.<p>

_Who the fuck does he think he is asking us to go down there? I don't fucking care what the reason is; I will never go back to that hell. Fuck him._

Levi forcibly pushed Mikasa into the carriage and furiously ordered the driver to leave. Frightened out of his mind, the driver picked up the reigns and commanded the horses to go.

Mikasa who was now fuming, hissed at her captain. "What the fuck are you doing, Levi? You can't just fucking make decisions for me. Get out of the way or I'll force my way out."

Ignoring her, Levi closed his eyes and let out a deep sigh. He could feel his squad member glaring at him. She started to pound her small fists against his chest, shrieking all sorts of curse words. He continued to hold onto her wrist. He had to. She brought his hand to her mouth and bit down hard. He didn't let go. Her teeth dug deeper into his skin, and soon blood trickled down. Still, he held on.

"Ackerman…" he whispered, still closing his eyes, "Just fucking stop."

She released his hand from her mouth and felt her hands tremble under his grip. Moments after, he heard something being torn off and felt a piece of cloth wrapping around his aching hand. Opening one eye, he looked down and saw his hand tightly wrapped with a red cloth.

"Damn, I bled that much from a bite?" he raised his eyebrow and looked at Mikasa, who was now staring out the window of the carriage.

His eyes spotted the rip in her dress and realized that was what the tearing sound from earlier was. He sighed again and rubbed the bridge of his nose, hoping it would relieve his headache.

"I'm going back tomorrow. You can't stop me. I don't care if you stay here or go there. What you do doesn't affect me. But I will go. And that is my choice. So back the fuck off." Her words cut through the quiet night.

And then he let go of her hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Oh, Levi… :'( I wonder what will happen next… Haha, thanks for reading and stay tuned! Reviews are encouraged :3)


	3. III

Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the reviews/follows/favs, y'all are great! Sorry this chapter took so long. I lost all my work and wasn't able to recover it, then school started and I got so caught up with life situations.. I don't want to ramble on but I truly am so sorry for making you wait. I really hope you enjoy this chapter!

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><p>Mikasa squinted as the sun seeped through her curtains. She let out a deep yawn and stretched out her arms, letting them fall to rest on her head. Traces of the night before lingered in her mind. <em>His lips<em>. _The way her skin felt under his calloused hands_. Mikasa shook her head in disgust. How could she have allowed for that to have happened? _Blaming it on the alcohol._ Her face overcast as she remembered the reason why she and Levi were called to the castle in the first place. The deranged photos of the women and children were deeply embedded in her mind. Looking at them triggered thoughts and feelings that she had thrown into the back of her mind. But no matter how much she tried to forget, it was useless. She'd wake up trembling and drenched in sweat most nights. All she could do was put on a mask and go about her day like there was nothing wrong because showing weakness meant that those men won. The moment the photographs were spread out amongst the table, Mikasa had already made the decision to seek out the organization and kill every single person involved. She was thirsty for revenge.

* * *

><p>Never in a million years did he think that his past would come back into his life. But it did— and now he had to stop the most stubborn woman alive from going there. Levi let out a frustrated sigh and slammed his fist against the wall<em>. She is an idiot if she thinks that life down there is any different from the life up here. There may not be titans, but there were just as many disgusting creatures who would take her life instantaneously without any remorse. The damn woman thinks she can just march down there and slay down all her enemies without even knowing who she was up against.<em> _Moron. Moron. Moron._

He wasn't entirely sure what infuriated him more—the fact that this naïve soldier of his thinks she can do whatever she wants or the fact that an outsider has the audacity to enter the underground district and try to bring "justice". Levi hissed and got up from his seat. He had to stop her.

The empty halls echoed as his heavy footsteps reached her door. Without knocking, Levi swung the door open and walked into a vacant room. His eyes darted back and forth and noticed the neatly made bed, empty drawers left open, and no sign of Ackerman. _That damn brat._ He turned his heel and storm down the halls. There was no sign of any carriers that came by today so he knew she was somewhere in the premise. His blood began to boil as he thought of how idiotic this brat was. He checked every place he thought she could be—Eren and Armin's room, the weight room, the drill field, and even the dining hall but she was nowhere to be found. Beyond pissed, Levi walked back into his room and slammed the door shut, causing the books on the shelf nearby to shake.

"Throwing a tantrum, are we?" the familiar voice asked too nonchalantly.

Her back was facing him as she looked out of his wide window. Levi wasn't sure if he should be relieved that he had her in his grasp or angry that she had sent him off on a wild goose chase. She turned around and smirked, plopping down onto the bay window seat. _That damn smirk._ He chose the latter and felt his anger rise again.

"What are you doing here?"

"There's something that you need to do for me."

Levi shook his head softly and chuckled under his breath. _The audacity_…

"What are you laughing for? Nothing is funny here." Mikasa coldly stared at him with a slight frown.

"Who do you think you are to come into my office and order me around? Get the hell out of here." Levi's words came out harsher than he had anticipated and almost regretted his choice of words. He bore his eyes back into hers as he waited for a witty and rude remark.

"Don't tell Eren and Armin where I'm going. Whatever they ask of you, just lie." She got up and briskly walked away, not caring for a reply. But right as she was passing her captain, Levi stepped to the side, blocking her way and grabbed her wrists.

"I hate repeating myself and you are damn well aware of that. It is pointless for you to go there. You have absolutely no idea what the hell you are dealing with. I am telling you right now that the moment you leave HQ, you will immediately and permanently be removed from my squad." Levi held his gaze onto hers, _hoping_ to see a sigh of defeat fall from her mouth. But this was Ackerman that he was talking to and he had no idea why he thought she would listen this time around.

Mikasa stared back at him with an expressionless face and yanked her arms free as she began to walk away.

"You will regret this. The world down there is worse than up here. We have titans that kill us, but where you're going, there are human beings killing other human beings out of pure joy."

His words left a bad taste in her mouth as she let it settle within her. _Out of pure joy, huh?_ She thought of the men that carelessly took her parents life. She thought of how they argued about needing to keep her mother alive but because she got in the way, they simply decided to bring an axe to her skull. Before leaving the room, Mikasa stopped and looked back.

"What I would regret the most is to know that there are children being stripped of everything and simply looking away."

Levi's fists curled up as he faced his comrade. He knew that this was beyond the point of trying to have her stay. But something inside of him refused to let her go this easily.

"You aren't cut out for this. You will go down there and die. You won't be able to save anyone. You will simply just rot." He had to force the words out. He had to depict the most horrific illustration possible so that she might change her mind. He had to in order to save her. His eyes locked with hers and for a second he could see the sadness that flickered upon her face.

"Take care of Eren and Armin for me."

* * *

><p>The rain came down harder as he stormed out of the castle. No luck again. Water splashed in every direction as he mindlessly walked into the puddles. It was his seventh visit in the past month and the king wasn't present at any of those times. Maxwell shooed him off every time as if he were some annoying gnat and would have him escorted out by several guards. Not wanting to cause a scene this time, Levi quickly slipped a piece of envelope under the king's master room before leaving the premises. He knew that the fat bastard was ignoring him on purpose. Probably orders from that new MP chief prick Marly or whatever the hell his name was. But Levi knew he would be hearing from the king after he saw the contents of the envelope. It was all just a matter of when.<p>

* * *

><p><em>A few weeks before Levi's visit to the king's castle<em>

"I'm not going to ask again. Where is she?" the young man snarled at his captain.

Everyone dropped what they were doing as this question was what was burning in all their minds. Eren was fuming as it had been a week now that his sister was gone. And no one knew her whereabouts except for Levi. And for days the only answer he received was, "She's fine." But that two word response only built his anger up more and more. Mikasa had gone on trips where she would be gone for days but she never left without telling him where she was headed to. Not only did she leave without a word this time but her room was completely empty. Nothing remained. Eren grabbed a fistful of his captain's white cravat and drew the man closer to him.

"Answer me, damnit."

But his captain said nothing. He just looked at him with the usual bored eyes, but a strange smirk appeared on his face. Before he could react, Levi had spun Eren over and sent him crashing to the ground.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such weakness. No wonder she didn't tell you where she was going." Levi straightened out his shirt, making sure there were no creases.

"Tell me where she is." Eren slowly got up ignoring the aching pain in his back.

Levi looked at his subordinate and sighed inwardly. "You really want to know? Fine. Your little girlfriend is on a classified expedition where only the most qualified soldiers were asked to go. Part of the mission strictly entailed that no one were to be known when or where she would go. But before she left, she asked me not to tell you anything regardless of how you behaved because she didn't want to hurt your pathetic feelings."

"My feelings? Why the hell would I be hurt? And what exactly is this expedition? Who else went?"

Levi rolled his eyes and grunted as Eren began to bombard him with more useless questions. He had no idea why he was even covering for her. But telling Eren the truth would only cause unnecessary headache and chaos. He had to keep his squad in order. This is what he told himself to get him through the past couple of days. If Levi had decided to go, then his squad would be in shambles. There was no way he could just up and leave. But no matter how many times he repeated these reasons in his head, he couldn't avoid the knot in his stomach. And every day that knot would only get tighter.

* * *

><p>It was just a day later when Levi received a reply back from the king requesting him to come to the castle immediately. Levi crumbled up the letter and tossed it into his lit fireplace. His face warmed up as he dozed off staring at the flickering flames. <em>Where are you right now, brat? You regret it, don't you? Have your belongings been stolen yet? You are stupid to have taken those clothes with you. Do you even know how to fend for yourself when you have nothing? Are you lying in a ditch somewhere?<em>

The last thought trailed off as Levi shut his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose. There wasn't a day that had gone by where his mind wasn't consumed with her whereabouts. He certainly didn't care for her in any other way but as simply a comrade. Every day he would find himself asking the same set of questions; could they really trust the king and the MP? Levi had spent the first week receiving intel about every single member on the new mission. There was nothing that he had come across about the men that made them suspicious or alarming in any way. But something about the mission didn't feel right. Maybe it was all in his head and he simply felt this way because of his view on the entire mission. Either way, he knew that sitting here and trying to figure everything out on his own was impossible. He needed the king. The fire had completely engulfed the letter by now. Levi walked across his room and got into bed. He stared blankly at the walls and watched the shadows of the flames dance around his room.

* * *

><p>"Levi…" she ran her fingers through his hair and her legs loosened up on his waist as he let her ride out her orgasm. Levi pulled himself out, but not completely, allowing only his tip to be inside of her. He grinned as he saw how blissful she looked. With one final thrust, he expelled himself inside of her, and huskily groaned her name.<p>

"My name is Hange and tell your pants that it's rude to point."

Levi shot up from his bed immediately as his dream was interrupted. Standing at the foot of his bed was his eccentric and annoying senior member. He pulled off his covers and planted his feet on the cold floor, sending chills up his spine. He rolled his neck around causing it to crack in three different places.

"What do you want?"

"Well Mr. Grumpy you're all about getting straight to the point today, aren't we?" he didn't have to face her to see the smirk on her face.

In all the years of working with people ever since he left the underground district, he learned that the quickest way to make someone stop pestering you was by not acknowledging their existence. So he walked around her as he made his way to the bathroom.

Not bothering to close the door, Hange took that as an invitation to come in. She hopped onto the sink counter and leaned against the mirror while admiring her friend's bathroom. Levi walked to the corner of the bathroom and dropped his pants to take a piss.

"Wow, your toilet is probably cleaner than my room."

Levi finished, pulling up his pants and ignored the repulsive comment. He walked over to where Hange was sitting and turned on his sink to wash up.

"So… When did you and Mikasa find time to have sex?" Hange snickered and waved a finger in the air, "I knew it would only be a matter of time before you two would sleep together. You two are literally the same person just split in two, and one has a penis while the other has a vagina!"

Levi reached for the towel across from him and patted his face and neck dry. _Just ignore her. She'll go away soon._ He saw the growing frustration on her face as she found no smart remark come from her friend. Growling, she pushed herself off the counter and folded her arms.

"A carriage is here and they're waiting on you."

But before Levi could ask what for, she had already left his room. Curious, he walked over to his window and looked down to see who it was. His eyes widened with surprise as he had not expected the king to come to him, especially after receiving the letter just last night. He smirked and quickly changed into his uniform. Blackmail was sometimes the best way to get what you want, other than force that is.

He walked down the corridor until he reached the main hall. He anticipated what the king had for him. It had to be more updates on the mission and maybe he knew where she was. Levi walked outside and opened the carriage to see the fat bastard sitting down, looking at a thick packet. He ushered Levi in with a wave of his finger and before Levi could even sit down, they began their journey back to the castle.

Levi sat across from the king and waited for the man to discuss what was going on. He leaned back on his seat with his arms folded and legs crossed. Whatever it was that was on those papers must have been extremely compelling because during the entire ride, no words were exchanged. Just furrowed eyebrows, grunts, and the frequent wheezing from the king. Levi had to force himself not to ask what was going on so that he didn't look too desperate or weak. If the king knew how little the captain was aware of then he probably wouldn't tell him everything. So when the carriage had finally stopped, Levi almost let out a sigh of relief. He could finally figure out what was going on.

She didn't even look up when he walked in, instead she was focused on the map spread out across the table. Levi blinked in confusion as he saw Mikasa standing at the edge of the table.

"Why are you here?"

She didn't respond. Expected of her. Levi walked over to her and as he tried to grab her, she swatted his hand away and tapped the pencil in her hand impatiently against the wooden table.

"This map is different from the one back at our base. Are you sure these routes are correct?"

"My men were down there just a few days ago. Do not question them. If you cannot trust the given map, then simply do not take it." The king spoke more harshly than usual.

Levi raised an eyebrow. He must have missed out on an argument from these two. He quickly examined Mikasa for any signs of injury but it was impossible to tell since she was covered from head to toe with her usual uniform. Before he could ask her why she was back, Mikasa pushed off the table and rolled the map quickly. She turned and looked at Levi with an annoyed expression.

"Let's go."

Levi gritted his teeth but complied as he followed behind her. Before leaving the room, Levi stopped and waited until Mikasa was out of earshot.

"I have much more than those photographs that you found in your room. I suggest you be of better assistance if you want to secure your image as a loyal and respectable king… Husband and father." Levi said the last part a little louder.

The king hissed and slammed the door forcing Levi out of the doorway. It brought the captain a sense of joy when he saw the king infuriated. He walked down the dimly lit hallways with a smirk on his face. It only widened when he saw his squad member with her arms crossed over her chest as she impatiently waited for him.

"Come on. We have to get going." Mikasa steps into the carriage and slams the door behind her.

She takes the seat by the window and looks out, refusing to meet his eyes. Levi sits in front of her, leans back, and rests his arms on the top of the seat. He smirks as he sees her hands gripping the edge of her seat.

"Relax, Ackerman."

"I am relaxed," her hands loosen up but she continues to stare out the window.

Levi studies her. Small dark circles, her lips lost color of their pink hue, and her eyes were dull. He didn't know what compelled him to, but his hands found his way towards her face but just as he was about to touch her, she brushed his hand away.

"Don't touch me" She said coldly.

Levi could tell she was stressed out. He heaved a deep sigh and sat back.

"Mind telling me what is going on?"

"You'll see when we get back to base."

His eyebrow arched in confusion, "What do you mean base?"

"You're part of the mission now."

* * *

><p>The trip was agonizingly long as Levi couldn't get more information as to why he was part of the mission now. The carriage finally came to a stop and Mikasa wasted no time to get off. Levi followed her shortly after. They walked deep into the woods but faint voices of men could be heart. Burning wood and the strong smell of ale became stronger.<p>

_This must be where they have been the entire time. Plotting to take down the district in the fucking wild. Unbelievable._ Levi's face grew grimmer as he saw the type of men surrounding the various campfires. _They're all going to die for nothing. Waste of casualties._ The men stood up immediately and bowed as the captain and Mikasa walked past them.

Levi noticed how tightly Mikasa was clenching the rolled up map that the king had given to her earlier. _This map must have changed plans that they had made prior to today's meeting._ Still it wasn't something to be this stressed out about. He decided to not say a word until he heard the details of what was going on.

The tent they entered was lit by candles all over the room. There was a large wooden table and men were surrounding it. They hardly noticed Levi and Mikasa walk in. The MP looked up from his table and beckoned Mikasa over with a wave of his finger.

Mikasa handed the man the now crinkled up map. They laid it out and Levi noticed how quickly everyone's faces grew with frustration as they scanned the new map.

"How is this possible? There are absolutely no similarities to these two maps."

"I know. We shouldn't trust the king. He was against us going on this mission in the first place. There's a high possibility that he is trying to lure us into some kind of trap." Another man spoke up.

"No. It is rare but the king is telling the truth. This map is interestingly accurate," Levi made his way to the table and ran his fingers along the paths drawn on the crinkled map. _Interesting.. Very interesting_. His thoughts were interrupted as the MP Chief, Marly cleared his throat asking for an explanation.

"What do you mean? How do you know that this map is valid?"

"Are you questioning the knowledge of where I spent my youth growing up?"

"You haven't been back there since you left. That was years ago. Things change, Captain Levi."

Levi chuckled. "You naïve thing, nothing ever changes in the district."

Two men on his side lunged forward as to take him down, but Levi swiftly took a step back and grabbed the backs of both their necks and slammed their foreheads to one another. Another man climbed over the table and raised his fist but the captain grabbed the unconscious man to his side and threw him towards his new attacker.

"ENOUGH!"

The Chief banged his fists on the wooden table, splitting it in half. Levi raised his eyebrow in amusement. He smirked as he fixed his cravat to smooth out any wrinkles. The men straggled away with their heads hung low.

"Out. Everyone." Marly commanded harshly.

Chairs pushed back and footsteps proceeded towards the exit.

"You. Stay."

Marly's eyes locked onto Levi's and the two men were left alone in the tent. The Chief walked around the broken table, never taking his eyes off of the shorter man. He stood face to face and looked down on the man.

"I do not care how you go about your business and handle your team, but this is my team. You do not come into my territory and cause havoc because of your inability to communicate with others. I know you want to be here so do not even try to put up some front. Pull this shit again and I will have you kicked off this base with the snap of my fingers. If you want to watch over Ackerman then I advise you to shut your damn mouth and speak only if spoken to."

Levi sensed the sincerity of the threat in the other man's voice. There was no point in trying to argue with the Chief. He came this far, there was no way he was going to back empty-handed. Levi nodded and grinned, "So where will I be staying?"

* * *

><p>The only thing inside this tent were dirty sheets and a throw blanket. Not even a pillow. Levi stared at how disgusting the ground looked as he couldn't even bear the thought of insects crawling on top of him while he slept. Infuriated, he flapped the opening of the tent and intruded each tent until he could find hers.<p>

Mikasa took off her boots and rubbed her aching feet. She let out a deep sigh. Today was a long day for her. She didn't expect the Chief to have her go back to the castle and meet with the king. She was in mid-workout when the orders came in. Then she spent two hours in the carriage with him. It was hell. His presence made her feel uncomfortable. Especially after their encounter that night at the king's castle. She groaned, defeated once again by those lingering thoughts. _Focus, Mikasa._ A yawn escaped from her mouth and the young woman continued to undress herself.

"What the hell?"

Mikasa gasped as she quickly covered her bare chest with her hands.

Levi stared at Mikasa as she stood there half-naked and completely flabbergasted.

"GET OUT!" she hissed.

Levi quickly darted his eyes away from her body and went back to focusing on her bed.

"Why the hell do you have a bed and I have to sleep on the disgusting ground that smells like piss?"

Mikasa's eyes widened, "Are you fucking kidding me right now? Get the hell out." Her voice was shaken by her anger.

The captain folded his arms, "Trade tents with me and I'll turn around so you can—" before he could finish his sentence he had to quickly duck his head as a dagger zipped towards him. "Now, now, no need to be wild." He yanked out the dagger that had drilled itself into a wooden pole. _She definitely aimed for my forehead._

"Get. Out." She threatened again

Without giving her threat any concern, Levi plopped right onto her bed and turned his back to her. "Since this is your bed, I'll allow you to join me." When he didn't hear a reply, he looked over his shoulder and saw that the tent was empty. _Well, that was easy._ He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep in no time. It had been a long day for the captain as well.

* * *

><p>Eep! Tension between these two as always. Tell me what you think will happen in the next chapter and what your hoping for! I love reading all of y'alls reviews! Again, I apologize for the late update. Graduating with my masters this semester so it has been extremely tough for me to balance my free time with work time! Will do my best to get the next chapter updated asap! Thanks for reading :)!<p> 


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